War in Ukraine: 3,000 Ukrainian tourists stranded and penniless in the Dominican Republic

A hard time. Without resources to extend their stay, some 3,000 Ukrainian tourists are currently stranded in the Dominican Republic following the Russian invasion of their country, consular officials reported Tuesday asking for help. “Ukrainians (stranded) currently need help from the Dominican Republic, they need money, they need clothes, they need a lot of things,” Ukrainian Honorary Consul Ilona Oleksandrivna said in tears. during a press conference in Santo Domingo.

According to her, 1,200 Ukrainians out of the 3,000 present in the country were expelled from the hotels where they spent their holidays because they did not have money to extend their stay in this tourist country, famous for its paradisiacal beaches, where hotel complexes welcomed 5 million people in 2021. “Right now we have tourists on the street (…) Hotels have kicked them out because they cannot afford to pay”, she said.

“Please give me an appointment right away”

Very affected, crying many times, Consul Oleksandrivna requested a meeting with Dominican President Luis Abinader. “Ukraine wants a meeting with President Abinader, please give me a meeting right away,” she said. Carlos Mesa, immigration adviser of the consulate specified that in many cases, the travel insurance of the tourists does not cover the cases of war.

VIDEO. Russian offensive: President Zelensky asks Europeans to “prove that they are with Ukraine”

In retaliation for the Russian invasion, 27 countries of the European Union have closed their airspace to Russian companies and planes. In response, Russia closed, “unless special permission”, its airspace to carriers from 36 European countries and Canada. Dominican Minister of Tourism David Collado indicated that he would hold a meeting with the private sector on the subject trying to reassure stranded tourists: that they “be quiet. The Dominican State will react responsibly and with human sensitivity”.

The association of Dominican tourist carriers (Adotratur), indicated that it will offer free transfers between hotels or at the airport to Ukrainian and Russian travelers affected by the war, in a press release. In January, 13,749 Ukrainian tourists entered the Dominican Republic by air. In 2021, 85,912 Ukrainian holidaymakers visited the country, according to Central Bank data.